Film Review: Scream 3 (2000)

“Sequels suck” is the line most people remember from Scream horror film series. It was, ironically, used in the second film of the franchise which is itself a sequel or, to be more precise, parody of horror film sequel. Interestingly enough, film itself contradicted it, being at least of the same quality as the original. But it was just a matter of time before the luck would run out for director Wes Craven and series creators, and it happened with the third film, released 2000 under title Scream 3.

Neve Campbell returns in the role of Sidney Prescott, young woman who survived two separate encounters with vicious demented killers – in her native town of Woodsborrough and at Windsor College. Following those experiences she tries to live a quiet life of a recluse in a mountain cabin near Los Angeles and uses new identity and phone to assist victims of stalking. Recently she began to be tortured by visions of her slain mother Maureen (played by Lynn McRee) and the mysterious stalker begins to harass Sidney over the phone. In the meantime, a serial killer began to target cast and crew of Stab 3, horror film based on events from Sidney’s past. Since the actors get killed in order their real life counterparts were killed in real life, ambitious reporter Gale Weathers (played by Courtney Cox) comes to the set which gets in her in conflict with ex boyfriend Dewey Riley (played by David Arquette), now hired as film’s technical advisor. Two of them are joined by Sidney, now determined to finally face demons of her past, while the murders are being investigated by police detective Mark Kincaid (played by Patrick Dempsey).

Scream 3 looks less like a parody and more like 1980s teen slasher film previous two films mocked. Craven entered the project without his old screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker (who was replaced by Ehren Kruger). Craven gives impression of not being particularly enthusiastic about project finished shortly after Music of the Heart, which was apparently more to Craven’s liking. A lot of fatigue can be noted on the faces of the main stars like Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courtney Cox. None of them has the power or willingness to breathe some more life into over-exploited characters. Same can be said about new member of cast, who play characters repeating the same idiotic mistakes that would them make die in bloody, but rather predictable ways. After a while, series of murders becomes so boring that the audience would stop caring whether some or all the characters survive the massacre. Even the “whodunnit” mystery at the heart of the plot looks weak and non-engaging. The only bright spot is appearance of Jamie Kennedy in the role of Randy Meeks, character killed in previous instalment, who through pre-recorded video message leaves instructions how to survive. That moment is, however, too brief to compensate for Scream 3 looking like pathetic ending of what could have been a great film franchise. Three more sequels were, however, made between 2011 and 2023.

RATING: 2/10 (-)

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